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How is your world right now? How is it working for you? If you're like many people, it sometimes seems overwhelming and frightening. So what's the answer?
We all have so many concerns these days. We have to care for our families, putting food on the table, shuffling bills, shuffling time. We have concerns about our shrinking paychecks with the rise of taxes, pay cuts and perhaps even job loss. Add to that the rising cost of health insurance or maybe even health issues. Not only are we concerned with our own debt, but the national debt hangs over us. Will our nation go under with all the debt? Will we lose our freedoms?
It seems everyone is at war with one another. We have to be politically correct in how we speak. Lawsuits prevail. Everything must be put in writing because people don't keep their word. No one seems to be able to come together to solve the big issues we all face. And then we have to worry about our safety, protecting our prosperity and our most prized possession, our children.
While the news media adds to our fears with negative reporting, they are followed by seemingly endless commercials capitalizing on our fears while recommending solutions to counteract our uncertainties. They offer special medications, antacids, identity protection. On and on the list goes.
Referred to as "fear appeals advertising," such commercials are often successful. The reason is simple, says Todd Van Slyke, an advertising instructor at the Illinois Institute of Art-Schaumburg. "Fear appeals strike a nerve with people who have doubts about things or do not know about things," he explains. "They play on our inherent fears of the unknown or that something is going to kill us. This is why scare tactics are stunningly effective" (quoted in "The Four-Letter Word in Advertising: Fear," Ai [Art Institutes] InSite, Jan. 27, 2010).
Living in this crazy world makes you just want to pack up and move to an island. But wait-that costs money.
Is there a genuine solution to all this madness? Years ago, a television commercial for a particular scented bath product took advantage of our stresses by claiming that in using it we could relax and lose our cares. If only it were that simple!
But there is good news! There is an answer to the madness we feel, and it's written for us in the pages of the Bible. The Bible shows you what to do when faced with the emotions of fear, alarm and confusion.
The apostle Paul wrote, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).
And Jesus said: "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles [the nations] seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:31-34).
Turn to God with all your heart and pray to Him, asking Him to give you His peace. Earnestly study the Bible. Discover God. He can deliver you from the anxiety, worry, stress and fear. Despite everything going on, you can live in peace knowing God will take care of you no matter what may come in this crazy world!
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Keywords: worry anxiety turn to God
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